One-pointedness/Ekagratha The wayward mind wanders hither and thither, but it is possible to fasten it on one fixed point by means of steady discipline and persistent training in spiritual discipline. This condition is called One-pointedness (ekagratha). It is also referred to as single-mindedness (dharana). The uninterrupted flow of oil from one vessel to another is a fine symbol of the mental process called single-mindedness. The mind plans and executes innumerable deeds and roams over vast expanses, all in the twinkling of an eye! It operates with unimaginable speed. It conceives an object and dallies with it a little, but it soon discards it for another more attractive object toward which it flees and about which it begins to worry. The spiritual aspirant has to be ever watchful of this tendency of the mind. When the mind flits from object to object, it must be brought back to the right path and the right object. That is the correct spiritual practice, the path of concentration and meditation. If, however, the aspirant does not struggle to achieve this one-pointedness but leaves the mind to itself, following its vagaries from this to that and that to this, the process deserves to be called monkey-meditation (markata dhyana), a type of meditation that is indeed very harmful to spiritual progress. Dhyana Vahini Truth is more fundamental than the atom. Every atom and every star manifest the Truth to those who have the eye of wisdom. Each aspect of science has a special feature when it applies to some one group of things or beings. What is the special feature of man? If he too lives and dies as any animal, how can his supremacy be justified? His supremacy lies in his capacity to become aware of his Truth. We use the phrase ‘one-pointedness’ when referring to sadhana [spiritual effort]. The meaning that we generally give to that phrase is not correct. Each sense organ or faculty has ‘a point’ that makes it valid. Don’t we say, ‘There is no point in it,’ when we condemn something in an argument? Seeing is the ‘point’ of the eye; hearing is the ‘point’ of the ear. If there is no point or agram, it is blind or deaf. The sense is then afflicted with some disease, it has some defect. Even if you catch a slight cold, the nose loses its ‘point’ for it cannot discover smells. Now what is the ‘point’ of the mind? When we say ‘one-pointedness’, it must mean that the mind should be pointed toward the One, the One that is denoted as being without a second, the One that has willed that It may become the many. Unless the mind lays aside all other pursuits and seeks to become aware of the One that has become the many, it can be said that the mind too is diseased and is suffering from some defect. Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 13 Plunge the wayward mind, which is fleeing in all directions, in contemplation of the name of the Lord; the effect will be like concentrating the rays of the sun through a piece of magnifying glass. The scattered rays develop the power of a flame to burn and consume. So, too, when the waves of intellect and the feelings of mind get One-pointedness through the converging lens of the atma, they manifest as the universal divine splendor that can scorch evil and illumine joy. Everyone can gain success in their profession or occupation only through one-pointed attention. Even the pettiest of tasks needs the quality of concentration for its fulfilment. And even the toughest problem yields before unswerving endeavor.

Love Men who are devoted to Me are full of love. They always stand by dharma or righteousness. They speak the truth. Their hearts melt with mercy. They are devoid of wrong conduct. They avoid sin. They will renounce everything gladly. They act in moderation. They are always engaged in doing good to others. They are not selfish. They are worried by no doubts. They do not lend their ears to flattery. – Baba You should cultivate an attitude of inseparable attachment to the Lord, who is your very self.  If He is a flower, you should feel yourself as a bee that sucks its honey.  If He is a tree, you must be a creeper that clings to it.  If He is a cliff, then feel that you are a cascade running over it.  If He is the sky, be the tiny star that twinkles in it. Above all, be conscious of the truth that you and He are bound by the Supreme love.  If you feel this acutely with subtle intelligence, then the journey will be quick, and the goal can be achieved. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 5 If you view the world with love, it will appear as filled with love. On the other hand, if you view it with hatred, everything will appear antagonistic to you. Eyes filled with love shine with brightness and cheerfulness. On the contrary eyes filled with hatred appear bloodshot and fearful. Your thoughts determine your actions whether good or bad. The external world will reflect your thoughts. You must consider the entire universe as a temple of God. You must regard all that is beautiful and great in Nature—the lofty mountains, the vast oceans, the stars in the sky—as proclaiming the glory and power of the Divine. The sweet fragrance of flowers or the delectable juice of fruits should also be regarded as tokens of God’s love and compassion. Divine Discourse, July 24, 1983 Love develops divine power in you. There is nothing that love cannot conquer in this world. Sages performed penance in dense forests infested with wild animals. They did not possess any weapon for self-protection. The weapon that protects them is their intense love and yearning for God. They tame the wild beasts with their power of love and transform them into docile beings. You should not merely exist as a human being in form. Speak good, see good, do good, and be good. Divinity will manifest in you only when your conduct is good. Divine Discourse, Sep 9, 2002 When you win God’s love, His compassion will flow unto you. Love gives and forgives. Ego gets and forgets. Live without hating others, condemning others, or seeking faults in others. Doing good to others is the only meritorious act. Doing evil is the most heinous sin. When you feel you cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil; that itself is a meritorious service. Do not try to discover the differences, discover unity. Divine Discourse, April 4, 1975 Install God in the altar of your heart and meditate on Him constantly.  Despite sorrow, difficulties, and calamities that you may encounter, hold on to Him firmly. They trouble your body, not you—for, you are separate from your body.  We cultivate qualities like anger, jealousy, envy, and pride due to our contact with the outside world. Only when we get rid of these qualities, we enjoy peace. Therefore, we must start our spiritual journey with truth and righteousness. When truth and righteousness go together, peace will reign. Peace brings love.  Where there is peace, there hatred cannot be. When we develop hatred against someone, it means the spring of love has dried up in our heart.  When there is love in our heart, we do not get angry, even if someone accuses us. Hence always follow the motto, “Love All, Serve All.”

Ravana – Lessons to absorb and put into practice The bad qualities and the cruel ideas that are in us are symbolic of the aspect of Ravana [King of Lanka in the epic Ramayana]. The good in us is symbolic of Rama. It is only when we can let these two aspects confront each other and get Rama to defeat Ravana that we can imagine that the coronation of Rama within us is possible and has taken place. We should not think that Ravana was a person or character only in the story of the Ramayana. Our whole life is a Ramayana. Our heart is a meeting place for the good and the bad. Without there being some bad, there cannot be good alone. By the presence of both bad and good, bad will try to suppress the good to some extent. We must make an effort to see that the good in us is not suppressed that way. You are listening to so many good discourses everyday…. During the period in which you listen to these discourses, they look very nice and attractive. But once you go out after listening to them, they do not appeal to you, and you do not want to put them into practice. It is only when we can digest the food that we have taken on a particular day can we again eat food the next day. If you eat something today and do not digest it till tomorrow, you will suffer from indigestion. Just as we should make an attempt to digest the food on the same day that we eat it, so, also, whatever ideas you listen to on a particular day should be absorbed and put into practice the same day. It is only when you take to such a path that you will be able to have a body and mind that are strong and sturdy. –Summer Showers 1977 Today, the power of Kali [Age] affects everybody without any distinction. Realizing that Ravana would pass away in a few minutes, many sages, scholars, and noble men came to Ravana and asked him, “O Ravana! You performed many good deeds as well as evil deeds. What is it the most memorable thing that you have discovered in your life?” Ravana replied, “Sirs! Don’t delay the noble acts you want to perform at any time. Put into action whatever noble thoughts and feelings that arise in your heart instantaneously. Procrastination is the thief of time. It is dangerous to delay. At one time, I thought of connecting the earth and heaven with a ladder. I wished to turn the saline water surrounding Lanka into sweet water. I wished to bring comfort and solace to the residents of Hell. Though I decided to do these things, I delayed acting. Thereafter, I could never succeed in doing them. Translate into action whatever good resolve emanates in your minds. We waste our time in postponing the good deeds. We should be ever ready to put into action all the good thoughts that arise in the mind.” This is the noble advice that Ravana gave to the people who came to him at the end of his life. Since he delayed the performance of good deeds, it brought disaster to him. – Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 35 (2002) Once the intelligence is purified and dedicated to spiritual effort, there should be no slipping back whatever the obstacle, whatever the temptation. Hanuman, charged with the mission of discovering the place where Ravana had confined Sita, decided that he should take a leap over the sea toward Lanka to search for her in that island of Rama that he carried in his heart and on his tongue. A mountain immersed at the bottom of the sea felt a strong urge to do him some little service, for he was the instrument of God and engaged in an exhausting adventure! Its name was Mynaka. It rose above the waters and called upon Hanuman to rest awhile on its crest and refresh himself with the fruits upon the trees that grew thereon. Hanuman declined to delay his landing in Lanka; he was engaged in a Divine Mission, which brooked no rest, no delay, no dallying. He turned a deaf ear to the importunities of Mynaka and sped forward to fulfil the command of the Lord. Ponder over this incident: Consider the compassion and the eagerness to serve that the ‘inert’ massive mountain felt! Consider the steadfastness, the undeviating faith, the single-pointed loyalty of the monkey, Hanuman! Do they not teach invaluable lessons to man—lessons of heart that melts at suffering, a head that refuses to swerve from the path of duty? The whole duty of man is to engage himself in good acts with the gross body, scatter good thoughts and good influences around him with his subtle body, and earn self-realization and bliss through his causal body.

Recognize the Power of Mind Today man has to understand the true relationship between matter and mind. When one is asked about the mind, he says, “Don’t mind.” When he is asked about matter, he answers, “It doesn’t matter.” By this sort of casualness, man is failing to understand [both] mind and matter. Only when man understands the nature of the mind can he recognize the true nature of humanness. What is the mind? it is not something negative. It is positive. It represents the power of the atma, the power of sankalpa (will). It can travel any amount of distance in space. It can explore the powers of the atom. The mind can recognize the truth that is valid for the three categories of time—the past, the present, and the future. The mind is therefore very essential in man’s daily life. It is the source of all strength. Man today is indifferent to the importance and the powers of the mind. Man is seeking happiness from birth to death. The search starts with education. But education does not confer happiness. He desires a job, but that does not make him happy. He then seeks marriage as the means to happiness. Happiness eludes him because the wife claims equal rights. Then he declares; “my life is a total darkness.” What is the reason for this feeling? It is the ego that is the cause. As a man grows, his egoism also grows. One after another, desires go on increasing. Their fulfilment does not bring him the happiness he seeks. Where is ananda (bliss) to be found? It does not exist in material objects. It is not to be found in physical pleasures. The truth is man is the embodiment of bliss. He is searching for it outside himself. This is the mark of ignorance. When he is the embodiment of bliss, how can he secure bliss outside himself? Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 28. Those who experience this [Baba’s] Presence within them can experience a joy that is indescribable, wherever they may be…. People should realize that time is fleeting and one’s life span is melting away every moment like a block of ice. Man is nearing his end even before he realizes his primary duty. What is that duty? It is to discover the purpose of life. Man seeks wealth, comforts, position, and happiness. How are these to be got? Moving away from God’s grace, man seeks all these kinds of worldly happiness. Of what avail are these transient physical pleasures? Thyagaraja sought to know wherein lay real happiness. Is it in wealth or is it in the service of Lord Rama? If one is blessed with God’s grace, what more does he need? Hence, seek God’s grace at the outset. Does real happiness lie in enjoying creature comforts? No. true happiness consist in manifesting all the potentialities in man. When you put into practice all the sacred thoughts that emanate from your mind you will realize true happiness. Most people do not practice the sacred impulses that arise in them with the result that they do not experience the bliss within them. Embodiments of Love! The most important thing you must recognize is that your heart is a Ksheerasagaram (Ocean of milk). But because of the invasion of bad thoughts and feelings, your humanness is vitiated. Humanness consists in harmony of thought, word, and deed. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 28. The mind is known as the inner sense organ. The mind is always engaged in recapturing, remembering, recalling, and reflection. As a result, it receives, and rejects wishes. You may be alone and silent, but the mind is on a spree—wishing, desiring, planning to do or not to do. And it keeps the tongue busy until sleep silences it. There are no standards that are kept in mind while looking for things, talking about people, and engaging in acts. Since these are done as soon as the thought arises. One must hold the thought for a while to examine and judge. Develop the quality of fortitude and the strength not to yield to the opinions of others unless you find them to be right, the courage to bear criticism and face slander. Baba the Breath of Sai

Pray for Fortitude New Year must usher in a new step in spiritual discipline. The old must be rung out; the new must be rung in! How do we celebrate the New Year Day? We sweep, we clean, we remove the cobwebs, we whitewash the walls, we hang up festoons and greens, floral garlands, and croton leaves; we wear new dresses, we feast on new types of dishes. For one day, we feel fresh and renovated. At this time of the year, Nature, too, puts on a new garb of green… In this festival of renewal, man alone continues with his old prejudices and tendencies, outworn habits, and moth-eaten principles. Should not he, too, brush the cobwebs from his mind? Should he not get rid of opinions and motives that tarnish and demean? As a matter of fact, life is a series of acceptances and rejections, of attachments and detachments, of joys and griefs, benefits and losses… Take everything that happens to you as the gift of grace. Of course, on your path you must act with all the skill and devotion you are capable of. Do this with as much sincerity as you worship God. Then leave the result to the All-powerful, All-knowing, All-merciful God. Let whatever ensues ensue! Why do you hold yourself responsible? He prompted it, He got it done through you; He will give whatever result He feels He must! Without grief, there is no relish in joy! The orange has a bitter rind, the bitterness guards the sweet juice from marauders; you cannot have a sweet sugary rind for the sweet fruit, for then it will be consumed entirely by all and sundry then and there! The urge of the fruit is to travel far so that the seeds may grow into trees in open spaces in the distance and not under the shade of the parent tree. The tree desires its progeny to spread far and wide. So, if the rind is bitter the eater will take it with him and travel some distance while removing it and start scattering the seeds only many paces away! You cannot keep gold safe in a gold box! You must have a steel almirah for it! The gift of joy comes packed in the rind of grief. Do not pray to God to give you only joy; that will be foolish. Pray for the fortitude to realize that grief and joy are but the obverse and reverse of the same coin. ~Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 11 (1971 – 72) People talk about the new year but do not care to develop new feelings and new attitudes. They must develop new ideas and new enthusiasm. If they are all the time depressed, when will they learn to express the joy of good living? They must exude happiness. That is the mark of the Divine within. Happiness is union with God. God is eternal bliss. Get rid of your evil tendencies and fill your hearts with love of God. You will become one with God. I am ready to give you all happiness. Are you prepared to receive what I wish to offer? Banish all worries. They are temporary like passing clouds. Do not allow anyone—whether it is the father, the mother, or the preceptor—to come between you and your duty to God. This is the lesson taught by Prahlada, Bharata, and Emperor Bali. Their allegiance to the Lord transcended all other obligations. God takes care of such devotees. Surrender yourselves to God and dedicate yourselves to the service of mankind. You have my blessings. Foster love and serve society. ~Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 31 (1998) Be devoted to the Universal; be eager to become That. When you pray to God for a job, or a son, or a prize, you are devoted not to God but to the job, to the son, and to the prize. Pray to God for God; love because it is your nature to love, because you know nothing else, because you cannot act otherwise than love. Expand your Self, take in all! Grow in Love. That is the new dress you have to wear and shine in this day.

How to Experience Divinity Embodiments of Love! Your names and forms are different, but the principle of love is the same in all of you. That is why I address you as the “embodiments of love”. Love is always one, it should not be divided. Consider God as one and love Him wholeheartedly. Such one-pointed love toward God can be termed true devotion. Devotees like Jayadeva, Gauranga, and Eknath developed such divine love and sanctified their lives. Likewise, Mira and Sakkubai had unwavering love and devotion toward God. They did not worship various names and forms. They followed one path. They installed one name and one form in their heart and contemplated on their chosen deity incessantly. Those who are dual-minded and change their path every now and then are bound to ruin their lives. Hence, never be dual-minded. Experience divinity with ekatma bhava (feeling of oneness). You may choose any name you like—Rama, Krishna, Eashwara, etc.—and contemplate on the form. You will certainly reach the goal of life. Lead your life with your mind always focused on the goal. Once Radha could not find Krishna anywhere. Since she was deeply attached to Krishna’s physical form, she went in search of Him everywhere. She always yearned and pined for His physical proximity. The name and the form are one and the same. However, people are unable to enquire deeply and experience such oneness. The power of love is unparalleled. It is beyond the ken of human understanding. Love can be understood only through love. Mira’s husband, Rana, had built a mandir (temple) for Krishna. Being a great devotee of the Lord, Mira was always found in the mandir singing His glory ecstatically. Consequently, she earned the wrath of Rana. He commanded her to leave the mandir. This came as a great shock to Mira. She thought to herself, “When Krishna is all-pervasive and not confined to this mandir alone, how can Rana take me away from Him?” She left her home and hearth and set out to Mathura. Where is Mathura? It is not some geographical location. The heart suffused with nectarine love is Mathura. She sang, Chalo Re Man Ganga Yamuna Teer (Oh mind! Go to the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna). Here, Ganga and Yamuna symbolically mean ida and pingala (left and right nostrils). The central part of the eyebrows where ida and pingala meet stands for Mathura. This is the esoteric meaning of the song. She proceeded toward Mathura, chanting the name of Krishna incessantly while crossing rivers, hills, dales, and forests. When she ultimately reached Brindavan, she found the temple doors closed. In spite of her repeated prayers, the doors did not open. Then she said, “Oh Krishna, my heart is Your temple. I have installed You in the altar of my heart.” She banged her head against the temple door calling out to Krishna. She had the vision of Krishna and merged in Him. King Rana repented for having driven away Mira from the temple. He prayed to Krishna for forgiveness. People these days do not enquire into the inner meaning of certain words they use. They are carried away by the worldly meanings and interpretations. You should take into consideration the feelings that emerge from your heart, which is true and eternal. This is how Mira experienced oneness with Krishna. If one wishes to tread the path of devotion, one should hold on to the principle of love firmly. Ordinary mortals do not have such firm determination, but a true devotee will never deviate from the path of love under any circumstances. No other path except love can take us to God. Develop love more and more. Wherever you are, love is your sole refuge. Many devotees proclaim, “Oh God, I am in you, I am with you, and I am for you.” They repeat these words like parrots but do not say them from the depths of their heart. Actually God is never separate from you. Pray to Him wholeheartedly with the conviction that He is always in you, with you, above you, below you, and around you. When you offer such a prayer to God, He will certainly redeem your life. Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 38 (2005) Embodiments of Love! The main aim of human life is to acquire the knowledge of the Self. This is the true Purushartha (goal of life). Human life will find fulfillment if this goal is attained. The ability to distinguish between that which is permanent and that which is transitory, the ability to control the internal and external senses, yearning for liberation and the path of inquiry—all these four (the four auspicious qualities) depend on devotion. The word bhakti (devotion)—derived from the root word bhaj means pure, unsullied, and selfless love toward God. In this world, no other virtue is greater than love. Love is truth, love is righteousness, and love is wealth. This world originated from love, is sustained by love, and ultimately merges in love. Every atom has its origin in love.

Happiness Comes Out of Suffering Contemplation of God is the right royal path that will remove all types of worries. Therefore, do not try other means for achieving mental peace and get into trouble and worry. March on along the divine and glorious path. All the karmas (actions) in the spiritual field are meant to bring peace and happiness to us. They are not intended to trouble us. Mental peace can be achieved only by performing one’s own duty, not by any other means. Karma brings about a result; and that result brings happiness and peace. Even when you are undergoing difficulties, always think that they are meant to bring you happiness. Every human being undergoes difficulties, only to enjoy happiness later. However, he does not realize this during the period of suffering. But in the course of time when suffering ends and happy days arrive, he would realize the truth. Hence, always remember the truth that sorrows and difficulties are prelude to happy days ahead. In fact, real happiness comes out of suffering only. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 37 (2004) If there are no difficulties to start with, how can you enjoy the sweetness of pleasure? So you must struggle to some extent and face difficulties. Without darkness, does brightness have any value? Without hunger, does food have value? Similarly, you must discover the true taste and value of happiness. In what way must you do this? Discover first the love within you, and then use it to receive God’s love. Once you tap the pure and unpolluted love within you, you will become the recipient of God’s love. God would even overlook and forgive your mistakes. However, do not take this for granted and commit mistakes endlessly! You must safeguard all the treasures God has deposited in you. Summer Showers 2000 Do not give room to worry and anxiety. God is not stone hearted. He will certainly take care of your needs. His heart is filled with compassion. Swami’s concern for you is hundred times more intense than the concern you have for yourselves. You need not be worried at all. Develop the feeling that difficulties and suffering are for your own good. Even insurmountable difficulties will vanish like thin mist when you have firm conviction. Hence, do not be unduly perturbed about your problems. Difficulties come and go. Not only the poor, even a millionaire cannot escape from difficulties. Swami confers His blessings on you so that you will be relieved of your suffering soon. The physical body may undergo suffering, but you should make efforts to attain peace of mind. The mind is the basis for happiness for everyone. All physical comforts will be of little use without peace of mind. Only through contemplation of God can you attain peace of mind and not by any other means. Hence, chant the Name of God incessantly, unmindful of the difficulties that come in your way. It is because of contemplation of God’s Name that you have been able to experience peace despite the innumerable difficulties you faced. God is the refuge for the poor and the forlorn. He is always with them through all the vicissitudes of life. Do not think that God is in some distant land. God is by your side always. In fact, He is present in the inner recesses of your heart. Never think that God is away from you at any point of time. Neither friends nor relatives can come to your rescue. God is your sole refuge. He will protect you under all circumstances. Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 37 (2004) Smilingly, Dharmaja replied, “Draupadi! Look at the Himalaya mountains. How beautiful are the peaks! I am filled with joy looking at those mountains. They do not serve me in any way, but still, they fill me with joy. The beauty of Nature gives me joy. Beauty is bliss. That bliss is nectarine. There is no joy equal to the enjoyment of the beautiful. When you look at a flower, you derive ineffable joy, though the flower renders you no service. Nature is the vesture of God. When you behold Nature, you experience bliss. I love Nature for the joy it gives. I derive joy from seeing it and for no other benefit. Likewise, God should be loved in a selfless spirit. I love Krishna regardless of what difficulties I must suffer, because that is the way I love him. I have no interest in the transient pleasures and possessions of the world. True bliss transcends the fleeting pleasures experienced by this perishable body. Draupadi! Do not seek these pleasures relating to the body. Seek the Divine feet of the Lord, which will confer enduring bliss. Do not grieve over petty difficulties. Concern yourself with the means to experience God. All other things are valueless.” The bliss from experiencing the Divine has been extolled by the Vedic seers and sages from ancient times. It is holy, eternal, ineffable and infinite. It is the bliss of oneness with God.

Fill Your Heart with Compassion Some people say that money is the basis of the entire world (dhana moolam idam jagat). Others say that righteousness is the basis of the entire world (dharma moolam idam jagat). But the correct statement is that compassion is the basis of the world (daya moolam idam jagat). The five basic elements—the sun, the moon, and night and day all function based on compassion (daya). The heart filled with compassion is divine. Even if others talk to us harshly, we should always speak amiably. One can find fulfillment in life only with compassion and mercy. One may be a Brahmin, a demon, or a king, one may do a lot of yoga, one may grow beard like a renunciant, one may smear one’s forehead with ash, one may keep on chanting names of God, but one avails nothing without possessing a heart full of compassion. Although compassion is a natural quality, people are not able to realize this. The entire world is based on kindness. Philosophies, religions, nations, and languages may be different, but the heart is the same. ~Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 30 (1997) Here, in the aspect of womanhood, one must observe and draw attention to a great quality that may be described as compassion. The next quality that we must note is their ability to sacrifice. The makeup of a woman is such that she will give protection despite many faults. She can also be compared to an educational institution where she will teach patiently like a good teacher, even if the recipient is not willing to learn. She may also be described as a happy home where she arranges everything without thinking of any discomfort for herself. We can also think of a woman as a person of sufficient spiritual strength by which she can make Aja, Hara, Hari or God himself play like a child before her. ~Summer Showers 1978 Every man has a heart. Every heart is filled with compassion. However, how many choose to share this compassion with others? Sharing one’s compassion with ten others has been characterized as bhakti (devotion). One who does not share his compassion with others cannot be called a human being. Today the human heart that should be full of compassion has become stone hard. This is man’s misfortune. What is the reason? It is because the heart is filled with the bitterness of differences of caste, creed, and nationality that it has become stony. All human beings belong to one caste, one community, one nation. All are embodiments of the Divine. Krishna declared in the Gita: “All beings in the world are a fragment of ‘My Self.’ It is tragic that man should forget his divine essence and behave like a demon.” ~Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 29 (1996) What can the evil effects of Kali Age do to oneWhose heart is full of compassion,Whose speech is suffused with truth, andWhose body is dedicated to the service of others? (Sanskrit Verse) You may worship God with various types of flowers,But He will not be pleased with such worship.If you offer Him the lotus of your heart,He will accept it with great love.Never forget this great truth. (Telugu Poem

Nature Is the Best Teacher If there is a boil on the body, we apply some ointment and cover it with a bandage until it heals. If you do not do this, it is likely to become septic and cause great harm later. Every now and then one has to clean it with pure water, apply the ointment again and put on a new bandage. In the same way in our life, there is this (particular) boil that has come up in our body, in the form of ‘I’, (ahamkara [ego] and mamakara). If you want to really cure this boil of ‘I’, you will have to wash it every day with the water of love, apply the ointment of faith, and tie the bandage of humility around it. This will cure the disease that has erupted with this boil of ‘I’. Divine Discourse, Feb 17, 1985 The whole world is intimately associated with the Sun God. He is the visible manifestation of the Lord. In India, Sun God (Surya) is considered highly sacred and granted the unique status of a great Guru. Sun is also the source of time. The Sun limits and regulates the number of years each one lives. He performs His duty without thought of reward and is humble and steady. Imagine the patience with which the Sun puts up with all that extreme heat, and gives sufficient warmth to the human body, every single day. Human beings are so full of activity and intelligence on account of the solar energy that is imbibed. If the Sun is idle even for a moment, the whole world will go cold and dark. The actions of the great is the ideal that the rest must keep in view. This also shows that all in the world are bound by the obligation of karma (activity). ~Geeta Vahini, Chapter 6 If you view the world with love, it will appear as filled with love. On the other hand if you view it with hatred, everything will appear antagonistic to you. Eyes filled with love shine with brightness and cheerfulness. On the contrary eyes filled with hatred appear bloodshot and fearful. Your thoughts determine your actions whether good or bad. The external world will reflect your thoughts. You must consider the entire universe as a temple of God. You must regard all that is beautiful and great in nature—the lofty mountains, the vast oceans, and the stars in the sky—as proclaiming the glory and power of the Divine. The sweet fragrance of flowers or the delectable juice of fruits should also be regarded as tokens of God’s love and compassion. ~Divine Discourse, July 24, 1983 All of you must realize that the relationship between you and God is permanent and is beyond the limitations of time and space. You should not waste your life thinking only of the physical relationship. The body is a passing thing. What you see externally is a burden; when you have made it a part of yourself it ceases to be a burden. It is like the food that a traveler carries on his shoulders for consumption on the way. As long as the food remains outside it is a burden. But when he has eaten it, he gets stronger and there is no burden on his shoulder. You must safeguard the Divinity you experienced and magnify it by contemplating on it internally. You should concentrate on the attainment of union with the Divine, which is permanent and beyond the limitations of time and space.

Food Every activity of man is dependent on the energy he derives from the intake of food. The spiritual sadhanas [spiritual practices] he ventures upon depend for their success on the quantity and quality of the food taken by the sadhaka (spiritual aspirant), even during the preliminary preparations recommended by Pathanjali [an author, mystic, and philosopher]. The most external of the five sheaths that enclose the atmic core, namely the annamaya kosha (physical sheath), has impact on all the remaining four—the pranamaya, the manomaya, the vijnanamaya, and the anandamaya (the vital, mental, wisdom, and bliss sheaths or coverings). The annamaya kosha is the sheath consisting of the material, flesh and bone, built by the food that is consumed by the individual. Food is generally looked down upon by ascetically-minded sadhakas and seekers and treated as something that does not deserve attention. But since the body and the mind are mightily interdependent, no one can afford to neglect it. As the food so the mind, as the mind so the thought, as the thought so the act. Food is an important factor that determines the alertness and sloth, the worry and calm, the brightness and dullness. The scriptures classify food as satwik, rajasik and tamasik and relate these types to the three mental modes (gunas) of the same names. Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 14 (1978 – 80) Health is wealth. Without a healthy body, man cannot execute any of his thoughts, however good they may be. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Several civilizations have treated various limbs and organs of the body as specialized individual entities that contribute to the body as a whole. The people of France maintained strict control on their eating habits and contents and maintained good health. The body is a temple of God. It may be temporary like a water bubble, but unless the house is safe, how can the inhabitants residing inside be safe? You can do much good with a healthy body. The youth today neglect this aspect and suffer from deteriorating health. Several scholars and intellectuals have attempted to control, if not eradicate, ill health. The Romans were front-runners in this aspect. They maintained healthy and strong bodies and kept each limb and organ of the body in as near perfect and strong condition as possible. They did this by watching the three main aspects: conduct, character, and sensitivity. They remained self-sufficient as far as bodily needs were concerned and did not like depending on their fellow men to help them move about for their daily needs…. In each limb and organ of the body resides Divinity. He is therefore called Angeerasa: the vital force in each organ of the body. Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 35 (2002) Man is the only living being who dislikes raw food found in the natural state. All other animals eat things as they are—grain, grass, leaves, shoots, fruits. Man boils, fries, melts, mixes, and adopts various methods of cooking in order to satisfy the cravings of the tongue, the eye, and the nose. As a consequence, the food value of these articles is either reduced or destroyed. When the seeds are fried, they do not sprout; that is clear proof that the ‘life-force’ is eliminated. Therefore, uncooked raw pulses just sprouting are to be preferred. Also nuts and fruits. The coconut, offered to the Gods, is a good satwik (pure) food, having good percentage of protein besides fat, starch, and minerals. Food having too much salt or pepper is rajasik (passion rousing) and should be avoided; so, also, too much fat and starch, which are tamasik (disposed to inactivity) in their effects on the body, should be avoided. An intake of too much food is also harmful. Simply because tasty food is available and is being offered, one is tempted to overeat. We have air all around us but we do not breathe in more than we need. The lake is full, but we drink only as much as the thirst craves for. But overeating has become a social evil, fashionable habit. The stomach cries out, ‘Enough,’ but the tongue insists on more, and man becomes the helpless target of disease. He suffers from corpulence, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Moderate food is the best medicine to avoid bodily life. Do not rush to the hospital for every little upset. Too much drugging is also bad. Allow nature full scope to fight the disease and set you right. Adopt more and more the principles of naturopathy and give up running around for doctors. Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 14 (1978 – 80) Even after having attained the sacred human birth, it is very unfortunate if you are not able to put your life on the right path. The gopikas were pure and sacred-minded and were used to worshipping God with a name and form. Prahlada was also pure and sacred-minded, and he was used to worshipping the formless God. Both were ideal examples for these two paths. People who want to develop themselves along the path of the atma must have good health, and for this purpose the control of food is essential. By eating clean food we can get a clean mind, and through a clean mind we can get a clear idea of the goal. Through such a clean concept of the atma, we will be able to get rid of the illusion of maya [illusion]. Through this method, the knot that is present in our heart will open, and this is the basis for getting a divine vision….